Key Themes In Pocho

Richard, a character in Pocho, is a Mexican American who struggles to find out where he fits in a new country. He is forced to learn and speak English in the public school system. Pocho follows Richard as he grows up and the everyday struggles he faces as a Latino in a in a majority white neighborhood of California. Some constant themes I have seen while reading has been the issue of identity and the value of traditions, both American and Mexican. Richard is a first generation Mexican American. Growing up in the American education system, Richard views life and education very differently than his parents. This leads to numerous disagreements with the values his parents have. One argument with his mom that really that was critical was when

For example, João Pedro Manõel. He was a Portuguese immigrant looking for a place to settle down. He befriends Richard and in one of their numerous conversations, Manõel tells him all the places he has been to. He says, “In New York I was lost, so I searched for a place where I could be with some of my own kind. I was running away from my people and yet I could not live without them... ”(P. 84). Manõel left home for a new adventure, he disagreed with the traditions of his family. But when he came here he realized he wanted some of what he left behind. We had a discussion in class that was similar to this theme. How much of the latino culture do we have to give up to become American? I think this is what Manõel means in the quote above, he wants to be in America, but he still wants some ties to home. This is why counterbalancing programs started to pop up in Latino dominated communities, Manõel was one of many American Latinos that wanted activities, food, and festivals that reminded them of home (Class lecture, Cultural

They believed that once they saved enough money, they would return home. Similar to the birds of passage we discussed in class (Class Lecture, Identity). “Learn all you can in the English, for next time next year by this time we will be in our country, and your knowledge will be of great benefit to you. Of course, I want you to learn our language also. What a shame it would give me if we arrived with our people and they would think I had a brute for a son.” (p. 96). Here Juan Rubio makes it clear that he identifies as Mexican. He does not view the other Latinos in the community as people of his kind. Here he makes it clear that the only home he will call home is back in Mexico. I think this is important to in the aspect of his children, Richard has no memory of Mexico how will he react to going back to Mexico? Will he feel at home there?

The story of Richard and his family, is the story many newly immigrated latino families found themselves in. These people constantly faced the issue of identity and what culture they believed more in. Richard wanted to stay true to his roots, but was faced with discrimination from his white peers, and discrimination from his Latino peers when he was believed to be acting white. This theme was shown with Richard and his dream of going to school, but also with the rest of his family like his mother and